Motion-picture photography and monitoring system for color television



Aug. 19, 1952 E. CLARK 2,607,845 MOTION-PICTURE PHOTOGRAPHY AND MONITORING SYSTEM EOE COLOR TELEVISION Filed Aug. 2o, 1947 Patented Aug. 19, 1952 noTloNfrroTURE PHOTOGRAPHY AND MONITORING SYSTEM Foa 'ooLoR TELEVISION r IJauriston E. Clark, Los Angeles, Calif., assignor to, Technicolor Motion Picture Corporation, Los Angeles, Calif., a corporation of Maine Application August 20, 1947, Serial No. '769,656 comme, (c1. 17e- 5.25

The production. of motion-picture hogby oonventional photograpllic apparatusr involves" a number of majorA d iiiicul is, One lof these d iiculties is the inability of. the supervising'personnel to vier.r the scene beingxijilmed exactly as it is recorded upon the film in order to make continuous adjustments of lighting and exposure' to obtain the desired pictorial effect on the nlm. Another difficulty, especially in color motion picture photography, is the necessity to light the scene with very high intensity lamps because of the comparatively low intensity of the exposure light reaching the individual recording emulsions. These high light levels are not only uneconomical but cause discomfort to the actors and also abnormal appearances, ior vexample contracted pupils in close-.up scenes. Yet another disadvantage of the present system of motion picture photography is the necessity` of preventing the noise of motion picture camera and associated equipment from reaching the microphone, which requires heavy and cumbersome sound prooi-ing provisions.

It is the principal object of this invention to provide an improved' system of motion picture photography which overcomes the foregoing diiiiu culties and disadvantages of the previously known systems of motion picture photography.

Another object of this invention is tok lprovide an improved method and apparatus for motion picture black and white or color photography which enables the supervisors to vieW the scene essentially as it will appear to the ultimate audience and so to adjust'or monitor during the actual filming the photographic recordation and scene representation thatthe intended effect is achieved.

Additional objects of this invention are to provide an improved system of color motion picture photography which has greatly increased sensitivity for all colors of the scene so that the light levels on the set can be greatly reduced, and which permits the recording of a plurality of color aspects of the scene directly uponY identioal, non-color sensitized lm of high sensitivity.

Still another important object of this invention is to provide a novel system of color photography wherein the noise producing components of the photographic equipment are located at any desirable distance from the set so that the Scene is free from sound interference. Y

In its principal aspect, thel system according to the invention provides photographic records through the scanning of a scene :by a television pick-up device such as the image orthicon tube which is many times more sensitive to light than lm in a conventional motion picture camera. The video output signal from the image orthicon tube representing the scanned image of the scene may be connected to an amplifier having an adjustable manual gain control together With an adjustable automatic gain control to provide any reasonable degree of straight line amplification. if desired combined with signal expansion or contraction. l The output of the mplifier is applied to television receiving and reproducing apparatus including a high intensity television Cathode roi' tube remotely positioned from the scene to be photographed. This receiving tube is associated with a. Suitable motion picture cameraJ Synchronized with the scanning froquonoy of both, mage orthicon and receiving tubes, to record the televised image of the scene as appearing upon the screen of the receiving tube. An additional television cathode ray tube effectively identical to the remotely positioned cathode ray receiving tube and'scanned in s ynchronisrn therewith may also be connected to the output from the amplifier and positioned at a monitoring location, to enableA the supervisor to View the scene as it appears in transmitted form for recording by the remotely positioning cameras. Manual gain controls 'for the amplifier together with controls for the degree of automatic gain control of the amplifier may also be positioned at the monitoring location and thel supervisor, by adjusting i these controls may correspondingly regulate the overall intensity and contrast characteristics of the scene as photographically recorded. The transmission links between taking, recording and monitoring components can be designed without any regard to frequency band. width so that the transmission characteristics con bo selected to provide any desired denition.

In another aspect of the invention the system according to the invention may be modified for use in color motion picture photography,` For that purpose, the image orthicon tube is'provided with a plurality of image receiving targets, a similar number oi target scanning electron beams, a light splitter for splitting the light from the Scene into a similar number of light beams, and appropriate color filters for differentiating the split light beams. The signal from each of the orthicon tube targets representing different color aspects of the scene may be individually amplified and controlledV as outlinedabove or may be applied directly to a similar number of remotely positioned television receivers including high intensity television cathode ray tubes. The images upon the screens of each of the remotely positioned oathodoray tubes representing diierent color aspects of the scene, corresponding to the above mentioned lters, are ref corded upon the films ofv a similar number of exactly synchronized motion picturecameras associated therewith. These films mayl have identical non-color sensitizedyhighly sensitive emulsions. From the plurality of lilms exposed in the cameras and representing diierent color aspects of the scene to be photographed a single color photographic reproduction process from the taking of the camera tube images through the imbibition printing process to the final projection, the scene will be viewed by the monitor or production director substantially in the colors as it will be finally seen by the audience. By providing each of the color aspect amplifiers with the conventional controls including manual gain control and adjustable automatic gain control, at the monitors location, it is possible to control and adjust the intensity level and contrast characteristics of each color aspect and thus the completecolor rendition.

Further objects and aspects of this invention will be'apparent with reference to the following description of a specific embodiment, which refers to a drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic illustration of a motion picture photography system according to this invention as adapted to the recording of different color aspects of a scene upon a plurality of films; and

Fig. 2 is the diagram of a process for producing a final color'positive from' the plurality of films representing different color aspects, obtained withV the system according to Fig. 1.

Referring to Fig. 1, the numeral 9 designates the'scene to be photographed. Positioned at a suitable vantage point to scan the scene through a suitable lens system Ill is a television pick-up device P which may include a tube II of the image' orthicon type modified to include three separate image receiving targets I2, I3 and I4 adapted to be scanned by three electron beams from the cathode guns I5, I6 and I1, deflected by the synchronized deflection coil I3. The deection coil I8 is connected by lines I9 and 2|) to the deflection voltage output of a scanning synchronism control Acircuit 2| adapted to be energized from the power supply circuit 22 as are also theV cathode electron guns I5, |6 and I1. The light image carrying light beam from scene 9 and lens system I0 is split into three component beams by a suitable image splitter of conventional type such as the half-silvered mirrors 273, 24vand mirrors 25 and 26 arranged as shown to provide the three parallel light beams 21, 28 and 29. The light beam 21 is passed through Va bluercolor lter 30 so that the image produced on the target I2 resulting in a video voltage output in the line 3|, is representative of the blue aspect of the scene. VSimilarly, lthe light beam 28 is passed through a green color lter 32 and the light beam 29 through a red color filter 34 so that the video voltage signals produced in lines 3|, 33 and 35 are each representative of different color aspects of the scene to be photographed.

Although the arrangement according to Fig. l has'a television image pick-up device providing three video voltage signals representative of three color aspects of the scene to be photographed, it should be understood that this invention is not limited to the use of a three color aspect system employing a television jtube with three scanning targets since such arrangement may be readily modified for recording two, four or any desired number of color aspects simply by providing the appropriate number of image receivingl targets in the image orthicon tube in proper relation to an appropriate optical beam splitting system. It is further understood that a separate tube can be employed for each color aspect or group of aspects.

The video voltage signals in lines 3|, 33, and 35 representative of different color aspects of the scene 9, have an amplitude proportionate to the light intensity of the particular part of the scene being scanned. Such voltage signals may not be of sufficient vaverage amplitude Vfor energizing directly'a televisionv picture-receiving tube and therefore amplifiers 36, 31 and 38'may be provided for the respective ones of the video signals in lines 3|, 33, and 35 to obtain a desired amplitude level for proper energization of the television receiving circuits and picture tubes. It should here be pointed out that the frequency band width of the amplifiers 36, 31 and 33 and all connecting lines may be made as wide as desired since there is no radio transmission involved; therefore, scanning definition may be as high as desired in order to obtain sharply defined television images. I

The amplifiers 36, 31 and 3B are associated with manual gain controls 39, 40 and 4| respectively, Which may be remotely positioned at a monitoring location to be later described. Such manual gain controls may, if desired, be of the simple potentiometer type in the input circuits of the amplifiers. Change of the amplifier output or the amplified signal level by proper adjustment of the potentiometer manual gain control will result in a higher or lower average level of intensity for the scene as reproduced on a television picture-receiving tube connected to the output of the amplifier.

Automatic gain control means 42, 43 and 44 are also provided for the respective amplifiers 3S, 31 and 38. These may be separate circuits as shown by the block diagram, or they may be incorporated directly into the amplifier circuit as will be understood by those versed in the art. The automatic gain control circuits 42, 43 and 44 should be of the conventional type effecting either expansion or contraction of the amplified signal amplitude range and should be provided with controls 45, 46 and 41 to enable the'degree of expansion or contraction to be adjusted. The controls 45, 46 and 41 should be of the type which adjusts the automatic gain control without eX- pansion or contraction response to variations of the amplitude of the input video signal so that straight-line amplification may be obtained. The adjusting means 45, 46 and 41 for the automatic gain controls are remotely positioned at a monitoring location, together with control 39, 40, 4I to facilitate their manipulation.

Automatic gain vcontrol circuits, when adjusted to expand the amplified signal amplitude range, effectively increase the amplifier gain when high amplitude signals arer applied thereto and correspondingly reduce the amplier gain when low amplitude signals are applied thereto. Conversely, these circuits, When adjusted to contract the amplied signal amplitude range, effectively increase the amplifier gain when low amplitude signals are applied thereto and decrease the amplier gain when high amplitude signals are applied thereto. Stated in other words, the

vobtained from the television pickup tube, While adjustment to contract to a selected degree the amplitude range of the signal functions to decrease the contrast of the video signal. bination with the manual gain control at 39, 49, 4i, adjustment of. the automatic gainv control at 45, 46, 41 provides all possible intensity level and contrast controls, including level control without contrast change, and contrast control without change of average intensity level.

The amplified signals as obtained from the amplifier outputs controlled in the foregoing manner are applied in conventional manner to a recording component R containing television receiving image cathode ray tubes 48, 49 and 59.

The scanning deflection coils 5I, 52 and 53 of k the picture tubes 48, 49 and 59 are connected together and to the scanning voltage output from thescanning synchronism control circuit 2| so that the picture receiving tubes 48, 49 and 5i) will operate in exact synchronism with the television pickup tube I i. Having in mind the function of lters 30, 32, 34, the images appearing on the respective screens of the picture tubes 48, 49 and 56 represent three color aspects of the scene 9.

Motion picture carriera apparatus 55, 56 and 51 is associated with the tubes 48, 49, 56 for example as: shown in Fig. 1 to photograph the images appearing on the screens of these picture tubes. Thecameras operate in synchronism with the scanning speed of the television pickup and receiving tubes. In order to simplify'` the drawing, the'cameras 55, 56 and'51 are shown to be driven from a single rotary shaft connected to a motor 58 vdiagrammatically shown to be connected and controlled as to speed by the scanning synchronismy control 2|. In actual operationit may be more practical to drive the respective cameras individually in order to facilitate ythevexact synchronization of their shutter action with the scanning frequency of each of the picture ,tubes 48, 49 and 50. Y

In view of the fact that the images appearing on each of the picture tubes 46, '49 and 56 are already selectively representative of different color aspects of the scene 9 to be'photographed, the cameras 55, 56 and 51 may be operated with highly sensitive non-color sensitized lms of uniform characteristics. Also, since the picture tubes 48, 49 and 56 can be of identical construction, it will be apparent that the images on their screens are of uniform quality so that the photographic characteristics of the films 55, 56 and-51 may be accurately matched.

it will be understood that the'images ,on the screens of tubes 48, 49, 56 may be positive lor negative, with the films in cameras 55, 56, 51' recording negatives or positives respectively. If it is desired to obtain positives as original or first photographic records, conventional apparatus for changing the image sign are provided. Forexample an additional video amplifier stage or a polarity reversing detector may for that purpose be incorporated in amplifiers 36, 31, 38, which will In com-V then also containconventional blanking circuits forsuppressing the high intensity return lines of the inverted image, i* j The system `described permits the.,use of a monitoring component with a viewingscreen 60 on Which the sceneto be photographed; may be presented essentially asitis imaged in cameras 55, 56 and 51, or as it will ultimately appear on the screen of the motion picture theatre.A vIn order to achieve this result, television picturereceiving tubes 6l, 62 and 63 are connected in parallel withl the television picture-receiving tubes 48, 49 and 50 and arel'remotelypositioned at a monitoring location. `The monitoring picturereceiving tubes 6|, 62 and.` 63Y may be arranged in the manner, shown additiyely images in register upon the me ringscreen 69, With such4 monitoring equipment, "a Asupervising, operatorviewing the image on the' monitoring screen 66, may adjust the amplifier controls Sil-4I and 45-41 to control theimage intensity and contrast and the colorrendition asit will result ,from the photographic records taken by the cameras 55, '56 andi 51.v The production director is thus enabled to'suggest changessuchf asin coloring or lighting of the; scene I9, or inpositioning of the 'television pickup V'tube y l l" tol obtain any desired effect 'of-reproduction ofthe Scene. 'i Y' 'The exposed lms from the cameras 55, 56and 51, representing differentcolor aspects of the scene being photographed,'may be combined and reproduced by any suitable'color process known for that purpose. One such process is shown diagrammatically in Fig. 2 of the drawing in Which-the respectivefilm' negatives 65,66 and 61 from the cameras 55, 56 and 51` are `combined to produce ya color lm '69 fby'fmeansof the well known so-called :dye imbibition-process. Accordingto this process, the negative -lms 65,166 and 61 are printed on matrixiiilms which are processed to provide positives inz'the form of gelatin relief matrices. These matrices are `loadediwith appropriate subtractive dyes:` which areethen transferred to' a blankffilmzwhich;iafterycompleted': dye transfer, constitutes the; iinalpositive .By properly 12 infront of the respective-monitoringvtubes 6l, 62 and 63, in relation tothe characteristics ofthe taking filters 30,:32., 34,-of the printing dyes, and of the projecting components, vthe monitoring image appearing yon the screen 60 may be presented essentially -innthe colors Aofthe nally projected picture.. f

It will be understood that'the above described system can be used, `with a single tube in each component, for making black and white motion pictures, although someof the features of the system, not utilized in the black and white technique, are particularly advantageous incolor motion picture photographies will be evidentfrom the` above described embodiment of thefinven- "310m",l v 'I 'y The provision of a'A-televisionrpickup tubecomponent located on .the scene to transmitfvideo signals to a remotely positionedsmoving picture camera component, throughthe medium of controllable amplifiers, overcomes -the difficulties previously mentioned by enabling the', camera component to be remotelshgnositioned andk by enabling i a supervisor toy monitor the will appearinreproduction. wif-1 It will be evident that insteadfpf 'a single-pickup tube several such tubes, for example one for l', project their s selecting' the color y"filters and 7 each color aspect can be used and that, on the other hand,` the monitor component may be constructed rwith a single color television tube.

ItA should be understood that` the present disclosure yis for thepurpose of illustration only and thatthis invention includes all modifications and equivalents which fall Within the scope of the appended claims.

1. AA` system for making color motion picture nlm which comprises a multibeam television cameray includingv a lens system, means for dividing the Vimage carryinglight beam emerging from said lens system directed at 'a scene, into a plurality of comppnentbeams, aj plurality of light. `sensitive electron screen elements fork translating light energy into video signals, means for scanning said screen elements with a plurality of respective electron beams in synclironism.,A and means for focusing said component beams through a plurality of different color iilters upon respective ones of said screen elements; a pluralityy of television reproducers eachv having screen means for exposure to a camera; means forvoperating each of said reproducers in synchronism` with the'others from a respective one of said video signals; motion picture camerav means having recording areas each associated with a respective one of said reproducers for recording on lm the image on said screen means of the respective reproducer representing one of the different color aspects of the scene to be photographed; and means for supplying synchronizing energy pulses to said television camera, said reproducers and said camera means.

2. A system for making color motion picture nlm which comprises a multibeam television camera including a lens system,'means for dividing the image carrying light beam: emerging from said lens'system directed at a scene Vinto a plurality of component beams,` a plurality of light sensitive electron screen Lelements for translating light energy into video signals,V means forv --of the respective reproducer representing one of the different color `aspects of the scene to be photographed; a monitoring television receiver having screen means'for visual observation; and means for operating said receiver in synchronism with said reproducers and said television camera and including means for supplying synchronizing energy pulses to said television camera, said reproducers, said camera meansV and'said receiver;

3. A system forvmaking color motion picture nlm which comprises a 'multibeama television camera including a lens system, means for dividign the image carrying light beam emerging from said lens system directed at a'scene into a plu--` rality of component beams, 'aplurality ofY light sensitive electron sc reenA elements fortranslating 'light energy into video'-v signals, means 'for scanning said screen elements With a plurality of respective electron beams in synchronism, and meansA for focusing said component Vbeams through a 'plurality of Vdifferent color lters upon respective ones ofsaid screen elements; a plurality-fof television reproducers each having screen means forl exposure to a camera;A means including an amplifier for operating each of said reproducers in synchronism With the others from respective one of said video signals; a motion picture camera means having recording areas each associated with a respective one of said'reproducers for recording on film the image on said screen means of the respective reproducer representing one of the diiferent color aspects of the scene to be photographed; means for supplyign synchronizing energy pulses to said television camera, said reproducers and said camera; means to adjust said amplifier output for controlling the intensity of the images on said screen means; and means for automatically adjusting the amplifier output in accordance With the amplitude of the video signal, said adjusting means responding to a variable setting for correspondingly varying the contrast of the images on said screen means. Y

4. A system for making color motion picture film which comprises .a multibea'm television camera including a lens system, means for dividing the image carrying light beam emerging from said lens system directed at a scene into a plurality of component beams, a plurality of light sensitive electron screen elements for translating light energy into. video signals, means for scanning said screen elements with a plurality of respective electron beams in'synchronism, and means for focusing said componentV beams through a plurality of diierent color nlters upon respective ones lof said' screen elements;v a plurality of television reproducers each having screen means for exposure to afca/mera; means including lan amplierfor operating each of said reproducers in synchrcnism with the others' from respective one of said video signals; 'a motion picture camera means having recording areas eachA associated with a respective one of said reproducers for recording on nlm the image on said screen means of the respective reproducer representing one of the different color aspects of the scene to be photographed; a monitoring television receiver having screen means Yfor visual observation; and means for operating said receiver in synchronism with said reproducers and said television camera and .including means for supplying synchronizing energy pulses to said television camera,said reproducers and said recelver.

LAURISTO-N- E. CLARK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record-inthe le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Y Date May 6, 1947 

